Harness Drivers Killed

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  • A case of a harness racing accident in which the driver died of head injuries is presented. To evaluate the victim's head injury and corresponding helmet damage, a videotape of the race was reviewed and analyzed. Based on calculations of a simplified trajectory analysis and testing of the helmet, it was determined that the helmet design did not provide adequate protection for the.
  • HARRINGTON (WBOC/AP)- A harness racing driver was killed Monday when his horse stumbled and fell during the opening race at Harrington Raceway. Two other drivers were seriously injured in the.
Associated Press

DOVER, Del. -- A harness racing driver was killed Mondaywhen his horse stumbled and fell during the opening race atHarrington Raceway.

Two other drivers were seriously injured in the accident, saidPatti Key, chief financial officer for the track.

'A horse fell and other bikes went out of control,' she said.

Key identified the dead driver as Hal Belote, a 51-year-olddriver from Williamstown, N.J.

'His horse was the one that went down,' she said.

Harness Drivers Killed

The other drivers involved were identified as 19-year-oldBrandon Givens of Seaford, and 54-year-old Steve Warrington ofGalena, Md.

'It's just an accident than can happen in this business,' Keysaid.

The rest of the evening's schedule was canceled after theaccident.

Killed

Hugh Gallagher, administrator for the Delaware Harness RacingCommission, said the race appeared to be unfolding inpicture-perfect fashion when Belote's horse 'knuckled over.'

'It's like stubbing your toe when you're going 35 miles an houror more,' Gallagher said. 'You've got a lot of weight, and a lotof speed combined.'

Harness Drivers Killed On Track

Belote's horse, Atenothnbutdscootr, which had been in the leadposition on the outside, went down, and Belote was unseated.

Gallagher said Belote was then hit by Warrington's horse, racingimmediately behind, and then by Givens' rig, which he said'apparently had considerable impact' with Belote.

Harness Race Drivers Killed

'Mr. Belote received a great deal of medical attention on thetrack, as did the two other drivers,' Gallagher said.

Harness Racing Drivers Killed

Belote died en route to Milford Memorial Hospital, where Givenswas taken for treatment of injuries that included a broken leg,Gallagher said. Warrington, who survived a bad accident inCalifornia a few years ago, was taken by helicopter to ChristianaHospital in Newark to be treated for injuries that included afractured knee and head abrasions.

None of the horses was put down.

'This was an unavoidable accident,' said Gallagher, who couldnot recall any other fatality in Delaware harness racing. 'Asecond before it happened, you would have looked at that thing andmarveled about how straight they were racing.'

Gallagher said the harness racing commission planned to hold apreviously scheduled meeting at Harrington on Tuesday morning.

'It's a hard loss for all of us,' he said.

Belote won 1,986 races in his career, amassing nearly $11million in purse money, and worked as a trainer as well as adriver.

Delaware State Police spokesman Cpl. Jeff Oldham said policewere investigating the incident as an industrial accident.


Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

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